1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a film cartridge with an IC memory, an apparatus that uses it, and a method of using it, and more particularly to a film cartridge with an IC memory, an apparatus that uses the film cartridge with the IC memory such as a camera, a photofinishing apparatus and a film image reproducing apparatus, and a method of using the film cartridge with the IC memory including a procedure for reading information from the IC memory.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been proposed an advanced photographic film in which a magnetic layer is formed on one side of a silver halide film (U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,745). A film cartridge for containing the film and a camera that used the film cartridge have also been developed, and they have become standardized worldwide.
As shown in FIGS. 19(A) and 19(B), in the above-mentioned new standard film cartridge 100, a continuous photographic film 103 is wound on a spool 102 and is contained in a substantially cylindrical cartridge shell 101, which has a light-shielding structure. A light-shielding door 104 is provided at one end of the cartridge shell 101. The film 103 is entirely contained in the cartridge shell 101 and the light-shielding door 104 protects the film 103 from external light, if the film cartridge 100 containing the unexposed film has not been loaded in the camera yet or when the film cartridge 100 containing the exposed film is out of the camera. The light-shielding door 104 is opened and closed by inserting a door driver (not shown) into a door driving hole 106 and rotating the door driver.
A data disk 105 is provided at one side (a reference side) of the cartridge shell 101, and the data disk 105 rotates in association with the spool 102. A bar code indicating film information such as type, sensitivity and a number of frames to be exposed of the film 103 is printed on the outer surface of the data disk 105. Circular, square, X and semicircular holes 111, 112, 113 and 114 are punched at the other side of the cartridge shell 101. A white sectorial piece (not shown) is provided at the back of the holes and is fixed to the spool 102, and one of the circular, square, X and semicircular marks is shown in white in accordance with a position of the sectorial piece.
In the film 103, a silver halide photosensitive layer is formed on a surface 103F of a film base, and a magnetic recording layer is formed on the reverse surface 103R of the film base. A plurality of perforations 121 are punched at the edge of the film 103, and they specify each frame 120. Exposure information such as the type of a light source and a focal length on the exposure, and a user""s message such as a title of a photograph can be magnetically recorded in magnetic record areas 124, 125 at the top end and bottom end of each frame.
When the film cartridge 100 is loaded in the camera, the camera reads the bar code information on the data disk 105 with an optical reading mechanism, and detects the position of the sectorial piece, thereby automatically recognizing the film information and the used status of the film. If the camera recognizes that the film cartridge 100 contains a film in which at least one unexposed frame remains, the light-shielding door 104 is opened and the spool 102 is rotated in a predetermined direction, so that the film 103 can be automatically fed to the first unexposed frame.
After all the frames on the film 103 are exposed, a rewinding mechanism of the camera rewinds the film 103 into the cartridge shell 101, and the light-shielding door 104 is closed. Then, the sectorial piece that is fixed to the spool 102 is stopped at the X hole, so that the X hole is shown in white to indicate that the film cartridge 100 contains the film 103 on which all the frames have already been exposed.
There has been proposed a film image reproducing apparatus using the film cartridge 100 containing the film 103 that is developed. The film image reproducing apparatus automatically transports the film 103 from the film cartridge 100, and reads the frame image using an image pickup unit. The film image reproducing apparatus is then able to output image signals representing the read frame image to a TV monitor and/or a personal computer.
In the apparatus such as the camera and the film image reproducing apparatus that use the film cartridge 100, there is provided in a cartridge loading chamber a spool drive shaft and a door driver, which are inserted into the spool 102 and the door driving hole 106, respectively, of the film cartridge 100. Guide shafts that are inserted into the spool 102 and the door driving hole 106, respectively, are provided on the inside face of a chamber door on the cartridge loading chamber. When the film 103 is transported, the spool 102 and the door driving hole 106 are pivotally supported by the spool drive shaft, the door driver and the guide shafts in such a manner as to prevent the cartridge shell 101 from being in contact with the inner wall of the cartridge loading chamber. Thereby, the cartridge shell 101 is able to float (this will hereinafter be referred to as a shell floating state).
Since the spool 102 is rotatably arranged with play in the cartridge shell 101, the cartridge shell 101 has freedom in the shell floating state. This prevents the film 103 from being damaged by the cartridge shell 101 while the film 103 is transported.
The applicant of a present invention has proposed the film cartridge provided with an IC memory unit (Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 7-287323). Since terminals of the IC memory unit are provided on a cartridge shell of the film cartridge, positions of the terminals cannot be fixed during the shell-floating. Thus, a contact area of each terminal on the cartridge shell must be large enough that the terminal comes into contact with each of the contacts on the cartridge loading chamber without fail in view of the movement amount of the cartridge shell while the shell is floating. In this case, it is impossible to provide a plurality of terminals on the limited surface area of the cartridge shell.
The terminals on the cartridge shell are arranged on a side that is perpendicular to a direction in which the cartridge is loaded in the cartridge loading chamber. For this reason, the loading of the film cartridge into the cartridge loading chamber does not cause the contacts on the cartridge loading chamber to rub the terminals on the cartridge shell. Hence, a reliable electrical connection between the contacts on the cartridge loading chamber and the terminals on the cartridge shell may become impossible due to the corrosion on the terminals, the adhesion of dust, or the like.
It is an object of the present invention to provide the film cartridge with the IC memory having the cartridge shell that is able to be positioned.
It is another object of the present invention to provide the apparatus using the film cartridge with the IC memory that allows the cartridge shell to float when the film is transported, and that positions the cartridge shell when the information is read from or written to the IC memory.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide the apparatus using the film cartridge with an IC memory that is able to carry the current through the contact parts without fail when the information is read from or written to the IC memory.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide the method of using the film cartridge with the IC memory, in which the information is read from and written to the IC memory without disturbing the transportation of the film.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention is directed to a film cartridge that comprises: a continuous photographic film; a cartridge shell containing the film, an inside of the cartridge shell being substantially cylindrical, the cartridge shell having an opening through which the film goes out, a light-shielding door arranged on the opening, a light-shielding door opening and closing hole for opening and closing the light-shielding door, and an IC memory unit, a plurality of terminals of the IC memory unit being exposed on a surface of the cartridge shell, one of a positioning hole and a positioning notch for positioning the cartridge shell being provided on a side of the cartridge shell; and a spool rotatably arranged in the cartridge shell with a predetermined play, one end of the film in longitudinal direction thereof being fixed to the spool, the film being wound on the spool.
The diameter of the positioning hole, which is provided on the cartridge shell, is 2 mm or more in view of the movement amount of the cartridge shell. The IC memory unit is arranged beneath the reference side of the cartridge shell, and the positioning hole or notch is formed on the reference side.
The IC memory unit contains index image information representing a plurality of frame images on the developed photographic film in the film cartridge. It is possible to confirm the contents of the photographic film without pulling out the photographic film from the film cartridge.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus using the film cartridge with the IC memory, the apparatus comprising: a cartridge loading chamber for containing the film cartridge, the cartridge loading chamber having, at the rear end thereof, a spool drive shaft and a door driver respectively engaging the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole on the film cartridge; a chamber door for opening and closing the cartridge loading chamber, the chamber door being provided with guide shafts, the guide shafts respectively engaging the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole of the film cartridge when the chamber door is closed; a positioning mechanism including a positioning member engaging one of the positioning hole and the positioning notch on the cartridge shell, the positioning mechanism positioning the cartridge shell at a predetermined position in the cartridge loading chamber by engaging the positioning member to the one of the positioning hole and the positioning notch; a contact mechanism including a plurality of contact members coming into contact with the plurality of terminals of the IC memory unit, the contact mechanism bringing the plurality of contact members into contact with the plurality of terminals only when the positioning mechanism positions the cartridge shell; a means for reading information from the IC memory unit and writing information in the IC memory unit via the plurality of contact members in the contact mechanism; and wherein the spool drive shaft, the door driver and the guide shafts pivotally support the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole of the film cartridge, the cartridge shell is able to float at least while the film is being transported, the positioning mechanism positions the cartridge shell at the predetermined position in the cartridge loading chamber when the information is read from and written in the IC memory unit.
The positioning mechanism and the contact mechanism comprise an arm in which the positioning member and the plurality of contact members are arranged at the end thereof, and an arm driving mechanism that rotates the arm so as to position the cartridge shell and bring the contact members into contact with the terminals of the IC memory unit.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus using a film cartridge comprising: a continuous photographic film; a cartridge shell containing the film, an inside of the cartridge shell being substantially cylindrical, the cartridge shell having an opening through which the film goes out, a light-shielding door arranged on the opening, a light-shielding door opening and closing hole for opening and closing the light-shielding door, and an IC memory unit, a plurality of terminals of the IC memory unit being exposed on a surface of the cartridge shell; and a spool rotatably arranged in the cartridge shell with a predetermined play, one end of the film in longitudinal direction thereof being fixed to the spool, the film being wound on the spool; the apparatus comprising: a cartridge loading chamber for containing the film cartridge, the cartridge loading chamber having, at the rear end thereof, a spool drive shaft and a door driver respectively engaging the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole on the film cartridge; a chamber door for opening and closing the cartridge loading chamber, the chamber door being provided with guide shafts respectively engaging the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole of the film cartridge; a positioning mechanism including a positioning member coming into contact with at least two positions on the outer periphery of the cartridge shell, the positioning mechanism positioning the cartridge shell at a predetermined position in the cartridge loading chamber by bring the positioning member into contact with the outer periphery of the cartridge shell; a contact mechanism including a plurality of contact members coming into contact with the plurality of terminals of the IC memory unit, the contact mechanism bringing the plurality of contact members into contact with the plurality of terminals only when the positioning mechanism positions the cartridge shell; a means for reading information from the IC memory unit and writing information in the IC memory unit via the plurality of contact members in the contact mechanism; and wherein the spool drive shaft, the door driver and the guide shafts pivotally support the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole of the film cartridge, the cartridge shell is able to float at least while the film is being transported, the positioning mechanism positions the cartridge shell at the predetermined position in the cartridge loading chamber when the information is read from and written in the IC memory unit. According to this apparatus, the positioning hole or the positioning notch on the cartridge shell is not required.
In the apparatus using the film cartridge with the IC memory, the positioning mechanism and the contact mechanism retreat the positioning member and the contact members in association with one of the light-shielding door opening action of a light-shielding door driving mechanism rotating the door driver and the unlocking action of a spool lock mechanism mechanically locking and unlocking the spool drive shaft, and the positioning mechanism and the contact mechanism bring the positioning member and the contact members into contact with the cartridge shell in association with one of the light-shielding door closing action of the light-shielding door driving mechanism and the locking action of the spool lock mechanism.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus using a film cartridge comprising: a continuous photographic film; a cartridge shell containing the film, an inside of the cartridge shell being substantially cylindrical, the cartridge shell having an opening through which the film goes out, a light-shielding door arranged on the opening, a light-shielding door opening and closing hole for opening and closing the light-shielding door, and an IC memory unit, a plurality of terminals of the IC memory unit being exposed on a surface of the cartridge shell; and a spool rotatably arranged in the cartridge shell with a predetermined play, one end of the film in longitudinal direction thereof being fixed to the spool, the film being wound on the spool; the apparatus comprising: a cartridge loading chamber for containing the film cartridge, the cartridge loading chamber having, at the rear end thereof, a spool drive shaft and a door driver respectively engaging the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole on the film cartridge; a chamber door for opening and closing the cartridge loading chamber, the chamber door being provided with guide shafts respectively engaging the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole of the film cartridge; a positioning mechanism including a positioning member coming into contact with at least two positions on the outer periphery of the cartridge shell, the positioning mechanism positioning the cartridge shell at a predetermined position in the cartridge loading chamber by bring the positioning member into contact with the outer periphery of the cartridge shell; a contact mechanism including a plurality of contact members coming into contact with the plurality of terminals of the IC memory unit, the contact mechanism bringing the plurality of contact members into contact with the plurality of terminals and retreating the plurality of contact members from the plurality of terminals; a means for reading information from the IC memory unit and writing information in the IC memory unit via the plurality of contact members in the contact mechanism; and wherein the contact mechanism moves the plurality of contact members on surfaces of the plurality of terminals to clean the surfaces of the plurality of terminals. According to this apparatus, the contact members move on the surfaces of the terminals while being pressed on the surfaces, and thereby, the surfaces of the terminals are cleaned even if the terminals corrode or are covered with dust.
In the apparatus using the film cartridge with the IC memory, the contact mechanism comprises an arm elastically holding the plurality of contact members at an end thereof, a first drive mechanism rotating the arm to bring the plurality of contact members into contact with the plurality of terminals under pressure and retreating the plurality of contact members from the plurality of terminals, and second drive mechanism moving at least the plurality of contact members substantially parallel to the surfaces of the plurality of terminals.
In the apparatus using the film cartridge with the IC memory, the contact mechanism has the contact members that are one of wire springs and leaf springs tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the surfaces of the plurality of terminals, the contact mechanism relatively moves the plurality of contact members and the plurality of terminals relatively to one another in cartridge loading/unloading directions to bring the plurality of contact members into contact with the plurality of terminals under pressure and retreat the plurality of contact members from the plurality of terminals, and ends of the plurality of contact members slide on the surfaces of the plurality of terminals when the plurality of contact members are brought into contact with and retreated from the plurality of terminals. The plurality of terminals of the IC memory unit are arranged on a side of the cartridge shell perpendicular to a direction in which the film cartridge is loaded into the cartridge loading chamber.
The apparatus using the film cartridge with the IC memory further comprises: a positioning mechanism including a positioning member coming into contact with at least two positions on the outer periphery of the cartridge shell, the positioning mechanism positioning the cartridge shell at a predetermined position in the cartridge loading chamber by bring the positioning member into contact with the outer periphery of the cartridge shell; and wherein the spool drive shaft, the door driver and the guide shafts pivotally support the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole of the film cartridge, the cartridge shell is able to float at least while the film is being transported, the positioning mechanism positions the cartridge shell at the predetermined position in the cartridge loading chamber when the information is read from and written in the IC memory unit. According to this apparatus, the terminals on the cartridge shell are fixed to the predetermined position, and thus, the contact members can be connected to the terminals without fail.
In the apparatus using the film cartridge, one of a positioning hole and a positioning notch for positioning the cartridge shell is provided on a side of the cartridge shell of the film cartridge; the apparatus further comprises a positioning mechanism including a positioning member engaging the one of the positioning hole and the positioning notch on the cartridge shell, the positioning mechanism positioning the cartridge shell at a predetermined position in the cartridge loading chamber by engaging the positioning member to the one of the positioning hole and the positioning notch; and the spool drive shaft, the door driver and the guide shafts pivotally support the spool and the light-shielding door opening and closing hole of the film cartridge, the cartridge shell is able to float at least while the film is being transported, the positioning mechanism positions the cartridge shell at the predetermined position in the cartridge loading chamber when the information is read from and written in the IC memory unit.
The present invention also includes a method of using a film cartridge comprising: a continuous photographic film; a cartridge shell containing the film, an inside of the cartridge shell being substantially cylindrical, the cartridge shell having an opening through which the film goes out, a light-shielding door arranged on the opening, a light-shielding door opening and closing hole for opening and closing the light-shielding door, and an IC memory unit, a plurality of terminals of the IC memory unit being exposed on a surface of the cartridge shell; and a spool rotatably arranged in the cartridge shell with a predetermined play, one end of the film in longitudinal direction thereof being fixed to the spool, the film being wound on the spool; the method comprising the steps of: bringing contact members of a contact mechanism provided in a cartridge loading chamber into contact with the plurality of terminals of the IC memory unit, after the film cartridge is loaded in the cartridge loading chamber and a chamber door of the cartridge loading chamber is closed; reading the information from the IC memory unit via the contact members, before pulling out the film from the film cartridge; retreating the contact members from the terminals to enable the cartridge shell to float, after reading the information from the IC memory unit before pulling out the film from the film cartridge; transporting the film in the state wherein the cartridge shell is allowed to float, and processing the film as required; rewind up the film into the film cartridge after completion of the processing; bringing the contact members into contact with the terminals under pressure and writing information in the IC memory unit after completion of the rewinding; and opening the chamber door to allow the film cartridge to be unloaded from the cartridge loading chamber after writing the information.
The contact mechanism is retreated from and brought into contact with the terminals in association with the opening and closing action of the light-shielding door and the locking and unlocking action of the spool.
The method further comprises the steps of: stopping the film and bringing the contact members into contact with the terminals under pressure so as to read/write the information from/in the IC memory unit when the film is out of the film cartridge; and retreating the contact members from the terminals after the reading/writing of the information, thereby enabling the film to be transported.